m_findlow

Title: A Christmas Tale
Author: m_findlow
Characters: Torchwood Team
Rating: PG
Length: 22,304 words
Prompt: Torchwood_fest Prompt #6, submitted by badly_knitted(Members of the team have to assist Santa's elves by temporarily becoming elves themselves)
Summary: Santa is in trouble, can Torchwood save the day?

Ianto had gotten straight onto his comms and called Owen for help to carry Brady up to the infirmary. Judging by the dozens of elves packed into every corner of the room, he was amazed he hadn't gotten sick sooner.

'It's bad isn't it?' he asked Owen, surveying the scene. Until now he hadn't realised just how bad, having been tucked away from all the chaos.

'Well, it's not good.' He didn't mean it to come out snarky. It was just the best he could manage at being polite, all things considered.

'I have to get back. Take care of him.'

'I will.'

Even thought the city was small, the walk out to its very fringes seemed to take them an eternity.

The snow lay thicker and heavier here, where there were no buildings to shelter the ground.

'There a patch of forest over there, just a mile or so away. We should head there.'

'Why?'

'Some of the elves said Jessie liked to venture out of the city, rescue injured animals and so forth. Maybe whatever sickness she got came from there.'

'We shouldn't venture too far. The snow has let up for the moment, but if it storms up again we could get lost pretty easily. And my GPS is useless up here. Must be the rift.'

'We'll stay within sight of the city. If we can't find anything on the edge of the forest, we'll head back straight away.'

Both Gwen and Tosh had their flashlights out as they trekked toward the edge of the forested area near the city. They'd touched in with Owen and he'd instructed them to take samples of anything that looked unusual or out of place.

They waved their torches along the ground and through the trees. None of the underbrush looked peculiar or odd. They could have been in Bute Park for all the difference it made.

'There's something over there,' Tosh said, pointing her torchlight a few yards to their left. They slowly approached, their lights now fixed on the small lump on the ground.

'What is it?'

The main control room suddenly seemed very empty and not a little bit foreboding now that Ianto was here on his own. He reluctantly sat down in Brady's seat and gathered up the headset.

'Base Camp calling Santa.'

'Santa here. Is that you Ianto?'

'Yes, sir. I'm afraid I have to tell you that Brady is sick like the others.'

'Oh dear. Will he be alright?'

'I hope so. What do you need me to do, sir?'

'Just keep doing what you have been. Do you have Brady's tablet?'

'Yes,' he replied, picking it up and seeing a vast array of charts and statistics rolling across the screen.

'Just keep an eye on things. If anything goes into the red or pops up an alert, let me know.'

'Okay.'

'Don't worry, you'll be fine. Just keep an eye on Jack, he needs your help more than I do.'

'He always does,' Ianto quipped, forgetting himself for a moment, until Santa laughed out loud.

'That he does. '

Jack had to admit, he was really starting to enjoy himself now. Forget the stakes of ruining Christmas completely, he had to confess, this was the most fun he'd had for a long while. It was always good to be at the wheel of something capable of cruising through the skies at glorious speed. The next time he saw The Doctor, he would have to thank him for putting in a good word at the North Pole.

'Ianto, you really should see this view. Maybe when this is all done we could go for a spin together.'

'How about we focus on getting all these gifts delivered before we celebrate,' he said harriedly.

'Killjoy. Who spat in your coffee? What's going on down there anyway?'

'I'm currently in the wrapping room, trying to fix a jam in the curling ribbon dispenser. It keeps trying to tie hangman nooses instead of bows.'

'And are you qualified to fix that?'

'No, but who else is going to do it?'

'Where's your stunt double? That cute little piece of vanilla candy in a suit?'

'If you're referring to Brady, which for your sakes I hope you're not, he's in the infirmary.'

Jack dropped the sleigh reins from his hands.

'He's sick too?'

'Collapsed in the control room.'

'I'm sorry. I didn't know.'

'Not your fault,' he quickly covered. 'I just kind of wish Tosh was here to help me,' he said, pulling a long tangled strand of yellow ribbon out of a nearby cog and glaring at it. 'This is more her thing than mine.'

'Where's she?'

'Off with Gwen. They've gone to investigate the last known whereabouts for our patient zero.'

'Okay, well, I'm sure you'll manage.'

'Who thought Christmas was so complicated? I'll never complain about running the hub ever again after this. Give me a dozen weevils any day.'

Jack laughed. 'I'll hold you to that.'

Tosh bent down for closer inspection.

'Looks like a snow fox,' she answered, running her light over the soft untattered fur of the small creature and the light reflecting back up out of its glassy golden eyes. 'I'd say it's been dead at least a day. No signs of injury though. Doesn't look like it's been attacked by anything.'

'What kind of predators would a fox have?' Gwen asked.

'Bears maybe? A bear wouldn't leave it behind though, if it was sufficiently wounded. It looks more like it's just collapsed and died.'

'You think whatever caused it to die might be connected?'

'Maybe. Owen, are you there?'

'Yup. Find anything?'

'There's a small patch of forest only a mile or two from Jessie's home. We found a fox that looks to have died from unknown causes.'

'I know you're going to hate me for saying this, but can you bring it back?'

'Sure. No problem. Anything for you Owen,' Gwen replied sarcastically.

'Anything else out of the ordinary there?'

'Nothing obvious. All the same, this place kind of creeps me out a bit. Let's hope that whatever did this, assuming there is a whatever that did this, isn't still here.'

'Alright. Head back then and we'll take a look at what we've got with your new pet.'

'Lovely. See you soon.'

The lights were bright as Sandy cracked open her eyes.

'Hey there,' greeted Owen.

She realised that the ground beneath her was soft. No, not the ground, it was a bed. She began pushing herself up off the bed.

'I'm okay. And someone else should be here. There's nowhere near enough beds as it is.'

Owen pushed her back down. It didn't take much effort, she was as weak as a kitten.

'No, you're not,' he said, inspecting the red spots running up and down her arms. 'You're lucky you woke up at all. Probably more exhaustion than illness, but you should still rest.'

She slumped back against the plump pillows. 'Any developments?'

'Gwen and Tosh searched the forest on the outskirts of the city. They found a dead fox, but it looks suspicious so they're bringing it in. There's nothing else to go on for the moment so we'll take whatever clues we can get.'

It was a round of hot mugs of tea when the girls came back inside, both chilled to the bone.

Owen prodded the sad creature as it lay lifeless on the cool metal table. Sandy was there next to him, still looking pale, but at least up and about for the moment. She wasn't about to give in yet but the hours rest had helped.

'You're right about it looking unnatural. I suspect if I take a tissue sample I'll find the same virus as the one affecting the elves.'

'But not us? How does that work?'

'I wish I knew. Maybe something we're exposed to in Cardiff that they don't have here? You checked her home right?'

'Nothing there. Just her pet bird and it was fine, if a little hungry.'

Owen stopped what he was doing and looked up at her, alert.

'What kind of bird?'

Gwen looked blankly back, biology had never been her strong point. 'Tosh? Any idea?'

'I'm no expert,' she admitted. 'Spotted dove maybe? Something like that.'

'A wild bird,' Owen clarified.

'No, it seemed trained, tapping at the window like it was used to being fed,' Gwen responded.

'No, I mean it came from the wild. Originally.'

'I suppose.'

Owen suddenly looked determined. 'We need to get that bird.'

'But it's not sick. At least it didn't look sick,' Gwen argued.

'Exactly. Birds are capable of carrying diseases without actually getting sick themselves. Whatever started this might have come from the forest, but it could have been spread by birds.'

'How does that help us? Even if it's carrying the virus, how do we figure out the cure?'

'You said you've got GPS chips on all the presents right?' Sandy nodded to him in reply.

'Well, what if we tagged the bird with one? Find out where it's been?'

'It could work,' Tosh said slowly, thinking it through.

'Figure it out on the way. Sandy, what's the quickest way to get around this place?'

'Snowmobile.'

'Can you get us some?'

'Of course. Everyone uses them.'

'Right. Gwen, you go get some of those chips and we'll meet you out the front.'

'On it.'

When Gwen came bustling down to the dispatch area, Rhys was surprised. He didn't even get a chance to greet her.

'Can't stop to chat. Those GPS chips in the gifts. Do you know where I can get some?'

'Oh, now you're interested in inventory management?'

'Chips, Rhys. Now.'

'Alright! Don't get your knickers in a twist. Let me go find the boss.'

Five minutes later and armed with a box of programmable chips, Gwen raced for the main entrance and found the two snowmobiles, Owen, Tosh and Sandy all ready and waiting,

Once they reached Jessie's apartment, Tosh set to work, programming the chip to feed back it's location. Gwen carefully approached the bird, now full and sleeping on the small perch Jessie had fashioned for it. She was easily able to scoop it up, and it didn't struggle at all in her hands, allowing her to stroke it's soft feathers, whilst Owen took a tiny sample of its blood.

Gwen almost felt sorry for the poor thing. Left out in the cold for days, and now finally home and able to rest in the warmth, and they were treating it like a lab rat.

'Confirmed it's carrying the virus,' Owen said as Tosh was clipping a small ring onto the bird's leg, containing the GPS chip.

Gwen carried it over to the window and release it into the air. Rather than try to come back inside, it immediately made a path in the direction of the forest.

'I'm getting a strong signal from the GPS. We should be able to follow it pretty easily.'

'Let's not waste any more time then.'

Continues at part eight... http://m-findlow.livejournal.com/81163.html